Chapter 1. Locking Away The Feebleminded: A Shameful

Short Description

At its peak, Fernald School confined 2500 people behind its walls. All were labeled “feebleminded.” Some of its victims are still living. Fred, now 63, lived 11 years at Fernald and states that for a long time he believed he belonged there and actually thought he should never have been born.

Long Description

Fernald was part of the eugenics movement of early 20th-century America. People who were considered genetically inferior were separated from the rest of society to ensure they would not reproduce. Presumably, the practice was good for the human race and good for America. Sadly, one critic notes, at least half of Fernalds' residents would have functioned well in today's world. Fred was 8 years old when his mother died and the state of Massachusetts committed him to Fernald. He was diagnosed as a “moron,” although tests showed that his intelligence was in the normal range. Children were kept in packed dormitory rooms. They received little education and even less affection. Joe was abused as a child and, at age 8, was abandoned by his father in a hallway at Fernald. He had no idea where he was or that he, a normal child, was now labeled a moron. The school made sure that at least 30 percent of its residents had normal intelligence so that they could do the work needed to support the institution. Joe's job was to section the brains of severely retarded residents who had died. Presumably, scientists would study the specimens. But that never happened. Worse than the work was the physical abuse Joe suffered at the hands of the staff. Some employees were psychologically disordered. Efforts to escape led to punishment and even to solitary confinement. More than 30 years later, Fred and Joe learned they had been used as human guinea pigs in radiation experiments conducted by MIT. Victims recently received $60,000 each in compensation from MIT, Quaker Oats (the study sponsor), and the government. Neither Fred nor Joe has ever received an apology. The label of moron has not been removed from their records.

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